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Copyrighted   1919 

by 

ERNEST     RIEBE 

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CRIMES  OF  THE  BOLSHEVIKI 

By  ERNEST  RIEBE 


Dedicated  to  the  ' 

Interests  of  the  International  Proletariat 


Workers  of  the    World   Unite 


THE  RADICAL  BOOK  SHOP 

I  S67  No.  Clark  St. 

I    OHICAQO.      •       .     iLLINOfS 


304 


,••  •  • 


2  — 


V 


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^^4  14 


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t^^^v 


l\ 


^- 


^M. 


® JBinii 


fel 


One  of  the  first  crimes,  the  bolsheviki  com- 
mitted was  the  signing  of  the  peace  of  Brest- 
Litovsk.  The  Russian  army  was  no  longer  cap- 
able to  hold  back  the  well-organized  forces  of  the 
Germans  and  the  bolsheviki  stopped  the  useless 
massacre  of  defenseless  men.  The  Russians  had 
sacrificed  in  death  alone  about  three  million  men. 
The  bolsheviki  were  called  traitors;  especially  by 
people  who  were  too  cowardly  to  do  any  fighting 
themselves. 


—  3 


WISE 


THE  OOPi^ 


801.SHfc\/l  Kl 
CR»M»NHtS. 


^!iV 


After  signing  the  peace  the  bolsheviki  started 
an  anti-war  propaganda  amongst  the  German 
soldiers,  appealing  to  them  to  stop  fighting  and  to 
overthrow  their  masters.  This  propaganda  was 
carried  on  without  the  consent  of  the  German 
officers,  as  the  picture  plainly  shows. 


<^  mug  g  g  F 

a  aac 
a  33  [ 


THEY  Pur 
ONE  0\l£R 
OH   US 


<£>£  R  If  I"*. 


The  bolsheviki  also  enlightened  the  people  in 
Germany  and  urged  them  to  start  a  revolution. 
It  dawned  on  the  warlords  that  it  was  impossible 
to  deal  a  deathblow  to  the  allies  on  the  western 
front  and  that  the  defeat  of  Germany  was  cer- 
tain. The  bolsheviki  must  be  credited  with  short- 
ening the  war  and  saving  millions  of  soldiers,  who 
would  have  been  slaughtered  if  the  German  war- 
lords had  not  been  forced  by  the  demoralization  of' 
their  armies  to  sue  for  peace. 


—  5  — 


WHWTT 

NOW^ 
HRN6IN  C? 
?       OP. 

HOE  I  NO  r 


©eBim  . 


The  bolshevik!  brought  hardship  and  misery  to 
some  of  the  "Best  People"  in  Russia.  Many  a 
nobleman  was  brought  face  to  face  with  hoe,  pick 
and  shovel.  The  peasants  had  been  the  slaves  of 
the  big  landowners  for  centuries  but  under  the 
bolsheviki  they  came  again  in  possession  of  the 
land,  which  had  been  taken  away  from  them. 


—  6  — 


Bolsheviki  are  naturally  cruel  to  animals.  They 
robbed  thousands  of  dignified  Gentlemen  out  of 
the  comforts  of  life.  Butlers  and  other  lackies 
became  sassy  and  preferred  honest  work  to  hu- 
miliating servitude.  The  aristocracy  of  other 
countries  sympathizes  with  their  Russian  breth- 
ren in  distress,  because  they  fear  that  the  time 
will  come  when  they  also  have  to  scratch  them- 
selves. 


—  7  — 


I    RRN6    THE    BCLL 
TWICE  !*  WHERE 

HRE  MY  ciortRErres  V 


That  girl  used  to  be  one  of  the  best  domestic 
animals  in  Russia,  but  listen  to  her  now,  "Where 
did  she  get  that  stuff?"  "From  the  bolsheviki." 
The  lady  never  heard  that  kind  of  sass  before. 
She  spent  her  whole  life  terrorizing  her  domestics 
after  the  fashion  of  the  idle  rich  and  never  had 
any  backtalk.  No  wonder  she's  one  of  those  who 
say  that  bolsheviki  are  criminals. 


I  ll.„  lllt^l 


THEY    CrtNT    RUN 
r  H  e   FrtCrOKY 
WITHOUT   ME 


WHRT   DID  "^OU 
51  MP    EVER    RUN 
YOU    HLWBVS 
HIRED   SOMeBOPy 
TOR   THHT  PUHPQSey 


c^ 


DTuniir 


^:/^. 


©EKn'i. 


In  order  to  handicap  the  bolsheviki,  some  fac- 
tory owners  closed  the  plants  and  locked  the  work- 
ers out.  The  bolsheviki  simply  opened  the  factor- 
ies and  locked  the  boss  out.  To  get  the  necessary 
experts,  such  as  chemists  or  supervisors,  the  bol- 
sheviki did  the  same  as  the  boss  used  to  do,  they 
hired  them. 


The  boses,  who  extorted  tips  from  the  workers, 
were  not  in  sympathy  with  the  bolsheviki  because 
bosses  lost  their  graft  in  bolshevik  Russia,  where 
every  worker  is  entitled  to  a  job  and  don't  have  to 
"see"  the  boss.  You  may  be  sure  that  every 
grafting  slave  driver  on  the  face  of  the  earth  con- 
siders this  a  crime. 


--  10 


The  bolsheviki  were  the  cause  of  many  hot 
tears.  Profiteers  could  no  longer  indulge  in  sense- 
less luxuries,  made  possible  by  the  sweat  of 
wasted  labor.  The  agony  of  the  upper  classes 
meant  nothing  to  the  cruel  bolsheviki.  This  ex- 
plains the  hatred  of  the  idle  jewelry  fiends  all  over 
the  world. 


—  11 


Bolshevism  stands  for  the  majority.  That's 
what  the  word  means  in  Russian.  Bolshevism  is 
a  good  thing  for  the  big  majority  of  the  people 
and  is  a  very  bad  thing  for  the  small  minority, 
the  exploiting  profiteers,  the  grafting  politicians, 
the  lazy,  lying  preachers,  who  fight  for  the  master 
class,  the  department  store  owning  white  slavers 
and  all  the  vultures,  who  make  a  living  out  of  the 
misery  and  immorality  of  our  present  system. 
Bolshevism  seems  to  be  cruel  to  those  paracites, 
and  it  is  ;it  is  enforcing  the  law  of  the  holy 
scriptures:  "He,  who  will  not  work,  neither  shall 
he  eat." 


12  — 


1^ 


■?©^^ 


The  bolsheviki  destroyed  the  higher  aspirations 
of  the  "better  classes"  and  made  expensive  and 
"artistic"  monkey  pup-dinners  impossible  in  bol- 
shevik Russia.  The  welfare  of  the  wealth-produc- 
ing workers  concerned  them  more  than  the  silly 
and  wasteful  amusements  of  degenerates.  The 
pup -dinner  aristocracy  of  the  world  is  therefore 
hostile  to  bolshevik  ideals. 


13  — 


■■ I    M  " 

/IN    HOfs/er T    1-JVI  NC? 
NOW.  THE    0OUS-HEV/KJ 

MROe   IT  poysieDz 


liOION 


fJ^\^   GOT  N 


The  keepers  of  immoral  houses  in  Russia  were 
amongst  the  bitter  enemies  of  the  bolsheviki.  In 
all  countries  the  traders  in  human  flesh  and  blood 
are  heart  and  soul  with  the  newspaper  prostitutes, 
preachers  and  politicians,  who  fight  the  bol- 
shevikis.  The  newspapers  employ  experts  and 
turn  out  lies  in  every  issue.  Sometimes  the  game 
is  played  so  raw  that  it  becomes  necessary  to  pull 
off  a  little  sham  battle  against  grafters  and  prof- 
iteers. 


—  14  — 


TO    UE^VH    y^OR  THB 


After  the  bolsheviki  made  peace  in  Russia 
there  were  still  people  who  advocated  war.  The 
bolsheviki  stopped  this  propaganda  in  a  very  dras- 
tic manner  as  shown  in  the  picture  above.  Jingo- 
istic profiteers  all  over  the  world  hate  such 
methods.  Not  only  for  reasons  of  their  own 
health,  but  also  because  an  army  raised  this  way 
whould  be  very  small  and  ofifer  poor  prospects  for 
fat  contracts. 


15 


Jan  D   :3U%r  TO 

IN  V o M e   cou 

BO|s/)  B  FLRNJ\N(P 


(i)  E  R  n  iir 


The  bolsheviki  caught  some  profiteers  planting 
bombs  to  implicate  labor  leaders  and  promptly 
marched  them  off  to  face  a  firing  squad.  In  cer- 
tain countries  the  profiteer  bomb-planter  is  very 
seldom  caught  and  never  punished.  The  labor 
leaders  are  in  most  cases  the  victims.  Some  are 
executed,  some  are  lynched  and  some  stay  in  jail. 
Sometimes  the  conspirators  have  not  even  to  plant 
bombs  in  order  to  put  the  man  of  labor  out  of  the 
way;  they  simply  trump  up  a  charge  of  "high 
treason"  and  the  noblest  men  of  the  working  class 
are  buried  alive  in  the  penitentiaries. 


16  — 


"PRODUCTS 


The  bolsheviki  were  criminal  enough  to 
threaten  the  manufacturers  of  poisonous  food- 
stuffs with  drastic  measures.  This  raised  a  storm 
of  indignation  amongst  the  manufactuerrs  of 
embahned  beef  and  other  delicacies.  The  prof- 
iteers feared  a  similar  treatment  and  for  hygienic 
reasons  denounced  the  bolsheviki  as  dangerous, 
unscrupulous  criminals. 


17  — 


©fei  jmi  3o^^?oc 


I  L  er  YOU  opF 

ON    ACCOUNT  OF 

TECHNlCflLlTlEf. 

SOMETHING 

KIGHT. 


[ij}nl{lL)lill... 


The  bolsheviki  are  charged  with  the  crime  of 
abolishing  old  style  justice.  This  they  did.  The 
poor  man  was  always  convicted,  because  he 
couldti't  hire  a  good  lawyer  like  the  rich  man.  The 
bolsheviki  convict  no  man  because  he  is  poor  and 
they  allow  no  lawyer  to  twist  the  law  to  suit  the 
wealthy  lawbreakers.  In  the  following  chapters 
we  will  find  some  more  of  that  old  system  of  "jus- 
tice" abolished  by  the  bolsheviki. 


18  — 


WBR£HOUJ 


m^  .-o 


r.^ 


Il  is  a  rule  in  profiteer  countries  to  make  the 
workers  toil  long  hours  for  small  wages  and  when 
all  warehouses  are  filled  with  goods,  the  factories 
are  closed  and  the  workers  have  to  starve.  This  is 
known  as  a  panic  and  necessary  for  the  speculat- 
ing profiteers.  Under  the  bolshevikis,  goods  are 
manufactured  for  use  and  not  for  speculation,  and 
that's  a  crime  against  the  speculators. 


—  19  — 


NO    BOtfHEViK    JH/1LL    SPOli-^ 
HV  FUN 


Cs)  E  P.  n  I T 


In  "civilized  countries"  the  farmer  is  very  often 
the  slave  of  the.mortgiage  holding  banker.  The 
bolsheviki  freed  thousands  of  mortgage  slaves 
and  nationalized  the  banks  in  Russia.  How  the 
profiteers  hate  those  who  endanger  their  profits 
was  shown  in  Minnesota  and  other  states  some 
time  ago  when  members  of  the  non-partisan 
league  were  tarred  and  feathered  by  the  prtfieers 
for  advocating  state  ownership  of  banks,  grain 
elevators  and  stores. 


—  20 


The  bolsheviki  are  against  the  outrage  of  child- 
labor,  and  this  aroused  the  wrath  of  the  exploiters 
in  all  "civilized"  countries.  Bolsheviki  educate 
the  children  instead  of  murdering  them  inch  by 
inch  for  the  sake  of  profiteering,  church-going 
hypocrites.  The  abolition  of  child-labor  is  against 
the  religion  of  the  profiteers,  who's  god  is  Mam- 
mon. Everybody  knows  which  the  countries  are, 
where  the  supreme  court  declares  the  abolition  of 
child-labor  unconstitutional. 


21 


{t 


HUfs/OReP    MEN     FOR  -V   ,|. 

OWE.    30B.  THeV^U    WOKK 
/IT   HY  TERHS    NOW. 
SMMLL   PRY, 

tOMO    HOUKS 


©£P>  1117 


-sfe^s-iot 


The  profiteer  is  happy  when  millions  are  out  of 
employment  and  go  begging  for  jobs.  The  misery 
of  the  masses  is  a  blessing  for  him.  The  bol- 
sheviki  spoiled  the  fun  and  established  the  shorter 
work-day  so  that  everybody  had  a  job.  This, 
being  against  the  interest  of  the  profiteers,  is  an- 
other reason  why  the  truth  about  the  bolsheviki 
is  suppressed. 


—  22 


Slave-driving  is  common  in  "civilized"  coun- 
tries. The  language  used  by  some  bosses  is  so 
vile  that  it  is  not  allowed  to  be  printed,  but  the 
defenseless  slaves  have  to  submit  to  it  because 
the  cowardly  cur  happens  to  be  the  master  of 
their  bread.  The  bolsheviki  demonstrated  that 
industries  can  be  run  successfully  without  humil- 
iation of  the  workers,  when  they  know  they  are 
not  exploited. 


23  - 


In  our  good  old  Christian  civilized  countries  of 
today  the  poor  old  people  are  kicked  around  or 
penned  up  in  the  poorhouses.  This  is  cheap  and 
infamous,  but  the  bolsheviki  established  justice, 
whereby  they  take  care  of  their  old  and  infirm 
and  carry  out  the  practice  of  the  early  Christians. 
And  for  this  reason  they  are  slandered  and  mis- 
represented just  like  the  followers  of  Christ  by 
the  money  changers  lamd  usurers. 


24 


youH  rhfusAl  to  iNSTR-Li. 

SAFETY  hPPLf  /=itiCES 
CJ^U^eo  THE   DEATH  OF 
SOME   Of    OUR    FELLOW 
U/ORKERf. 


The  profiteer  is  absolute  master  over  the  work- 
ers. He  condemns  them  to  death  if  profits  de- 
mand it.  Thousands  of  workers  are  annually  sac- 
rificed to  save  money.  When  the  bolsheviki 
changed  this  in  Russia  they  were  condemned  by 
the  profiteers  of  all  countries.  Profiteers  are  class- 
conscious  and  international.  If  one  of  them  is 
injured,  the  whole  mob  will  holler,  '^11  the  bol- 
sheviki !" 


25  - 


The  profiteers  in  Russia  had  from  time  to  time 
massacred  the  workers,  who  struck  for  better 
conditions.  They  used  to  organize  mobs  and 
lynched  men,  women  and  children.  This  later 
method  was  very  popular  and  was  used  to  charge 
the  crime  to  "Public  Sentiment."  In  all  cases  the 
assassins  were  never  punished.  The  bolsheviki 
took  away  from  the  profiteers  the  right  of  massa- 
cre and  also  the  lynch  privilege. 


—  26    - 

Only  by  terrorism  has  the  profiteering  class,  the 
small  minority  been  able  to  keep  the  big  majority, 
the  working  class,  in  subjection. 

In  Russia  the  bolsheviki  have  partly  succeeded 
in  abolishing  the  atrocities  of  capitalism  and  they 
are  fighting  hard  to  abolish  capitalism  altogether. 
Their  aim  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  Revolution- 
ary Socialists  and  for  that  reason  they  are  mis- 
represented by  the  capitalist  press  just  as  the  So- 
cialists are.  The  crimes  of  the  bolsheviki  in  the 
profiteer  papers  make  the  same  reading  as  the 
crimes  ot  which  the  JSociaiists  have  always  been 
accused.  Murder,  free  love  and  treason;  it  sounds 
so  familiar  to  us  and  this  is  perhaps  the  reason 
why  we  sympathize  so  much  with  the  bolsheviki. 
Our  heart  goes  out  to  those  blood-thirsty  crimi- 
nals across  the  sea.  .We  recognize  in  them  our 
comrades  in  crime  and  we  greet  them  cordially, 
"God  bless  you,  fellow  assassins,  thieves  and  free 
lovers.  .Good  morning,  homebreakers  and  degen- 
erates." 

The  very  atrocities  which  the  profiteers  commit 
every  day,  are  charged  against  us,  the  opponents 
of  capitalism.  The  profiteer  press  of  America  de- 
serves the  credit  of  having  attained  the  greatest 
efficiency  in  manufacturing  lies  about  the  bol- 
sheviki. The  shamefulness  and  boldness  of  the 
professional  liars  has  become  so  atrocious  that 
men  have  taken  a  stand  against  it  who  never  had 


—  27  — 

anything  to  do  with  Socialism,  and  who  do  not 
even  belong  to  the  working  class.  Colonel  Ray- 
mond Robins  is  one  of  them.  He  could  not  submit 
in  silence  any  longer  to  the  misrepresentations  of 
the  anti-bolshevik  press.  .This  gentleman  has 
never  been  accused  of  being  a  Socialist,  an  I.  W. 
W.  or  a  hod  carrier.  He  was  the  head  of  the 
American  Red  Cross  in  Russia  and  happened  to  be 
an  eye-witness  of  the  bolshevik  revolution.  .Sev- 
eral times  he  testified  to  the  honesty  of  purpose 
of  the  bolsheviki.  First  of  all  be  corroborated 
the  fact  that  the  bolshevik  Soviet  represents  the 
overwhelming  majority  of  the  Russian  people. 
The  kept  press  alwasy  claims  that  the  bolshevik 
Soviet  represents  a  small  minority  of  criminal 
fanatics,  who  rule  the  majority  by  brutal  force. 
Regarding  Lenine  and  Trotzky,  Colonel  R.  Robins 
says: 

"Were  Lenine  and  Trotzky  German  traitors? 
My  deliberate  statement  is,  that  Lenine  and 
Trotzky  were  international  revolutionary  Social- 
ists, engaged  in  th  propaganda  of  world  revolu- 
tion. 

"Had  they  wanted  to,  they  could  have  left  Rus- 
sia when  the  leaving  was  good.  But  they  re- 
mained at  the  risk  of  their  lives  to  further  the 
aims  of  the  revolution. 


—  28  — 

"God  Almighty  couldn't  make  a  man  do  the 
things  I  saw  Nicolai  Lenine  do,  if  that  man  had 
dirty  money  in  his  pockets. 

"The  story  which  history  will  write  later  on 
must  be  made  up  on  the  basis  of  truth,  not  on 
the  basis  of  special  interests  or  predilections  of 
one  group  or  another." 

Of  Trotzky,  he  said:  "Trotzky  never  broke 
faith  with  anybody,  and  he  always  put  behind  his 
promise  force  sufficient  to  carry  it  out." 

He  told  of  traveling  through  6,000  miles  of  ter- 
ritory contiguous  from  European  Russia  to 
Siberia,  and  that  in  all  that  distance  the  signa- 
ture of  Lenine  was  honored  and  the  Soviet  gov- 
ernment was  in  power. 

"I  crossed  50  Soviet  jurisdictions.  I  did  not 
bribe  a  single  officer.  Lenine's  letter  was  my  safe 
conduct  for  the  6,000  miles.  Though  I  had  five 
guns,  I  didn't  hear  a  shot  fired.  In  Amur  I  got 
the  freedom  of  the  city  on  the  basis  of  Lenine's 
letter.    That  happens  to  be  history,  not  hot  air." 

In  his  talk,  "One  view  of  Russia,"  he  said: 

"All  there  is  to  the  Russian  story  cannot  be 
contained  in  one  person's  mind.  History  will  show 
it  at  its  true  value.  The  truth  will  not  be  spoken 
next  month  or  next  year. 

"It  will  come  out  ultimately,  because  there  are 
forces  and  elements  that  will  repudiate  the  false 
statements. 


—  29  — 

"One  reason  I  have  rested  so  easily  and  com- 
fortably in  a  most  unpleasant  state  of  criticism 
has  been  that  in  spite  of  the  clamor,  for  the  most 
part  false,  I  have  felt  the  truth  would  ultimately 
prevail.  Propaganda,  however,  well  organized, 
will  never  stifle  truth.  No  matter  how  much  agi- 
tation is  made  by  the  old  interests,  the  defenders 
of  autocracy,  those  views  will  eventually  surren- 
der to  the  truth." 

We  have  the  testimony  of  many  other  promi- 
nent Americans,  w  ho  prove  the  misrepresentation 
of  the  capitalist  press  and  some  of  the  capitalist 
papers  themselves  were  forced  to  publish  the  real 
facts  occasionally.  But  they  were  shrewd  enough 
to  hide  the  truth  in  the  inside  pages  and  keep  the 
faked  murder  stories  in  big  headlines  on  the  front 
pages.  Due  to  the  fact  that  millions  of  newspaper 
readers  accept  the  biggest  type  as  the  biggest 
truth,  the  campaign  of  lies  is  partly  successful. 
The  anti-Bolshevik  campaign  was  started  by  the 
German  profiteers  under  the  leadership  of  their 
Kaiser  when  the  Bolsheviki  refused  to  quit  agitat- 
ing against  capitalism.  The  Kaiser  demanded  this 
in  an  ultimatum  and  when  this  was  ignored,  he 
made  this  statement :  "I  wish  the  whole  Russian 
army  was  intact  and  in  the  field  against  me  in- 
stead of  this  Bolshevism.  It  is  more  dangerous 
than  the  best  artillery."  Like  the  Kaiser,  the 
profiteers  of  other  countries  are  convinced  that 
Bolshevism  is  dangerous  artillery  and  they  are 
fighting  it  with  a  barrage  fire  of  lies  in  their 
newspapers. 


30  — 


iOBRxtii. 


vJ 


/;r^'" 


n 


f^/V 


TO     - 


6EE,WH«r 
RCRIME' 


Here's  a  sample  of  profiteer  propaganda.  Bol- 
shevik! crimes,  that's  what  sells  the  extras.  Make 
it  interesting  for  the  "intelligent"  reader  and  put 
it  on  thick.  The  above  rape  story  was  published 
all  over  the  country  and  swallowed  by  millions. 
It  is  ridiculous  that  a  great  body  of  men,  com- 
prising uncounted  millions  like  the  bolsheviki, 
should  condemn  their  own  mothers,  sisters  and 
children  to  slavery.  Furthermore,  the  bolsheviki 
are  not  short  on  women.  The  latter  outnumber 
the  men  in  Russia  by  many  millions.  The  Blocks 
should  also  know  that  the  Bolsheviki  have  given 
equal  suffrage  to  their  women. 


n 


O  ERirn. 


When  in  1918  the  bolsheviki  saw,  that  their 
rule  was  firmly  established  they  declared  an  am- 
nesty for  those  plotters  who  were  not  considered 
dangerous  any  more.  The  international  profiteers 
knew  that  this  generous  act  would  gain  prestige 
for  the  bolsheviki  and  therefore  invented  the  lie 
of  the  wholesale  massacre  of  the  bourgeoisie,  "the 
Russian  Bartholomew  night."  The  campaign  of 
lies  goes  merrily  on,  but  the  number  of  blocks 
becomes  less,  to  the  chagrin  of  the  profiteers. 


—  32  — 

At  last  we  offer  the  most  momentous  bolshevik 
crime,  the  Bolshevilc  Constitution,  which  will  go 
down  in  history  and  stand  when  all  the  profiteer 
press  agents  are  buried  under  the  ridicule  of  an 
enlightened  world.    Truth  at  last  will  triumph. 


THE  CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  RUSSIAN  SOVIET. 


CONSTITUTION 

(Fundamental  Law) 


The  Russian  Socialist   Federated   Soviet  Republic. 
'  Resolutions  of  the  5th  All-Russian  Congress 

of  Soviets,  adopted  on  July  10,  1918. 

The  declaration  of  rights  of  the  laboring  and  exploited 
people  (approved  by  the  third  All-Russian  Congress  of 
Soviets  in  January,  1918),  together  with  the  Constitution 
of  the  Soviet  Republic,  approved  by  the  fifth  Congress, 
constitutes  a  single  fundamental  law  of  the  Russian 
Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic. 

This  fundamental  law  becomes  effective  upon  the  publi- 
cation of  the  same  in  its  entirety  in  the  "Izvestia  of  the 
All-Russian  General  Executive  Committee."  It  must  be 
published  by  all  organs  of  the  Soviet  government  and 
must  be  posted  in  a  prominent  place  in  every  Soviet  insti- 
tution. 

The  fifth  Congress  instructs  the  People^s  Commissariat 
of  Education  to  introduce  in  all  schools  and  educational 
institutions  of  \he  Russian  Republic  the  study  and  ex- 
planation of  the  basic  principles  of  this  Constitution. 


—  33  — 

Article  One 

Declaration  of  Rights  of  the  Laboring  and 
Exploited  People. 

Chapter  One. 

1.  Russia  is  declared  to  be  a  Republic  of  the  Soviets 
of  Workers',  Soldiers'  and  Peasants'  Deputies.  All  the 
central  and  local  power  belongs  to  these  Soviet  national 
Republics. 

2.  The  Russian  Soviet  Republic  is  organized  on  basis 
of  a  free  union  of  free  nations,  as  a  federation  of  Soviet 
national  Republics. 

Chapter  Two. 

3.  Bearing  in  mind  as  its  fundamental  problem  the 
abolition  of  exploitation  of  men  by  men  the  entire  •  aboli- 
tion of  the  division  of  the  people  into  classes,  the  suppres- 
sion of  exploiters,  the  establishment  of  a  Socialist  society, 
and  the  victory  of  socialism  in  all  lands,  the  third  All- 
Russian  Congress  of  Soviets  of  Workers',  Soldiers'  and 
Peasants'  Deputies  further  resolves: 

a.  For  the  purpose  of  realizing  the  socialization  of 
land,  all  private  property  in  land  is  abolished,  and  the 
entire  land  is  declared  to  be  national  property  and  is  to  be 
apportioned  among  husbandmen  without  any  compensa- 
tion to  the  former  owners,  in  the  measure  of  each  one's 
ability  to  till  it. 

b.  All  forests,  treasures  of  the  earth,  and  waters  of 
general  public  utility,  all  implements  whether  animate  or 
inanimate,  model  farms  and  agricultural  enterprises  are 
declared  to  be  national  property. 

c.  As  a  first  step  toward  complete  transfer  of  owner- 
ship to  the  Soviet  Republfc  of  all  factories,  mills,  mines, 
railways  and  other  means  of  production  and  transporta- 
tion, the  Soviet  law  for  the  country  by  workmen  and  the 
establishment  of  the  Supreme  Soviet  of  National  Economy 
is  hereby  confirmed,  so  as  to  assure  the  power  of  the 
workers  over  the  exploiters. 

d.  With  reference  to  international  banking  and  finance, 
the  third  Congress  of  Soviets  is  discussing  the  Soviet 
decree  regarding  the  annulment  of  loans  made  by  the 
Government  of  the  Czar,  by  land  owners  and  the  bour- 
geoisie,  and   it  trusts   that   the   Soviet   government   will 


—  34  — 

firmly  follow  this  course  until  the  final  victory  of  the  in- 
ternational workers'  revolt  against  the  oppression  of 
capital. 

e.  The  transfer  of  all  banks  into  the  ownership  of 
the  Workers'  and  Peasants'  government,  as  one  of  the  con- 
ditions of  the  liberation  of  the  toiling  masses  from  the 
yoke  of  capital,  is  confirmed. 

f.  Universal  obligation  to  work  is  introduced  for  the 
purpose  of  eliminating  the  parasitic  strata  of  society  and 
organizing  the  economic  life  of  the  country. 

g.  For  the  purpose  of  securing  the  working  class  in 
the  possession  of  the  complete  power,  and  in  order  to 
eliminate  all  possibility  of  restoring  the  power  of  the  x- 
ploitrs,  it  is  decreed  that  all  toilers  be  armed,  and  that 
a  Socialist  Red  Army  be  organized  and  the  propertied 
class  be  disarmed. 

Chapter  Three. 

4.  Expressing  its  absolute  resolve  to  liberate  mankind 
from  the  grip  of  capital  and  imperialism,  which  flooded 
the  earth  with  bloo^  in  t^is  present  most  criminal  of  all 
wars,  the  third  Congress  of  Soviets  fully  agrees  with  the 
Soviet  Government  in  its  policy  of  breaking  secret  treaties, 
of  organizing  on  a  wide  scale  the  fraternization  of  the 
workers,  and  peasants  of  the  belligerent  armies,  and  of 
making  all  efforts  to  conclude  a  general  democratic  peace 
without  annexations  or  indemnities,  upon  the  basis  of  the 
free  determination  of  the  people. 

5.  It  is  also  to  this  end  that  the  third  Congress  of 
Soviets  insists  upon  putting  an  end  to  the  barbarous  policy 
of  the  bourgeois  civilization  which  enables  the  exploiters 
a  few  chosen  nations  to  enslave  hundreds  of  millions  of 
the  toiling  population  of  Asia,  of  the  colonies  and  of  small 
countries  generally. 

6.  The  third  Congress  of  Soviets  hails  the  policy  of 
the  Council  of  People's  Commissars  in  proclaiming  the 
full  independence  of  Finland,  in  withdrawing  troops  from 
Persia,  and  in  proclaiming  the  right  of  Armenia  to  self- 
determination. 

Chapter  Four. 

7.  The  third  All-Russian  Congress  of  Soviets  of  Work- 
ers', Soldiers'  and  Peasants'  Deputies  believes  that  now, 


—  35  — 

during  the  progress  of  the  decisive  battle  between  the 
proletariat  and  its  exploiters,  the  exploiters  can  not  hold 
a  position  in  any  branch  of  the  soviet  government.  The 
power  must  belong  entirely  to  the  toiling  masses  and  to 
their  plenipotentiary  representatives — the  Soviet  of  Work- 
ers', Soldiers'  and  Peasants'  Deputies. 

8.  In  its  effort  to  create  a  league — free  and  voluntary, 
and  for  that  reason  all  the  more  complete  and  secure — 
of  the  working  classes  of  all  the  peoples  of  Russia,  the 
third  Congress  of  Soviets  merely  establishes  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  the  Federations  of  Russian  Soviet 
Republics,  leaving  to  the  workers  and  peasants  of  every 
people  to  decide  the  following  question  at  their  plenary 
sessions  of  their  Soviets;  wether  or  not  they  desire  to  par- 
ticipate, and  on  what  basis,  in  the  federal  government 
and  other  federal  Soviet  institutions. 


Article  Two 

General  Provisions  of  the  Constitution  of  the  Russian 
Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic. 

Chapter  Five. 

9.  The  fundamental  problem  of  the  Constitution  of 
the  Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic  involves, 
in  view  of  the  present  transition  period,  the  establishment 
of  a  dictatorship  of  the  urban  and  rural  proletariat  and 
the  poorest  peasantry  in  the  form  of  a  powerful  All-Rus- 
sian Soviet  authority,  for  the  purpose  of  abolishing  the 
exploitation  of  men  by  men  and  of  introducing  Socialism, 
in  which  there  will  be  neither  a  division  into  classes  nor 
a  state  of  autocracy. 

10.  The  Russian  Republic  is  a  free  Socialist  society  of 
all  the  working  people  of  Russia.   The  entire  power,  within 
the  boundaries  of  the  Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet 
Republic,  belongs  to   all   the  working   people   of  Russia,  \ 
united  in  urban  and  rural  Soviets. 

*  11.  The  Soviets  of  those  regions  which  differentiate 
themselves  by  a  special  form  of  existence  and  national 
character  may  unite  in  autonomous  regional  unions,  ruled 
by  the  local  Congress  of  the  Soviets  and  their  executive 
organs. 


—  36  — 

These  autonomous  regional  unions  participate  in  the 
Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic  upon  the 
basis  of  a  federation. 

12.  The  supreme  power  of  the  Russian  Socialist  Fed- 
erated Soviet  Republic  belongs  to  the  All-Russian  Con- 
gress of  Soviets,  and,  in  periods  between  the  convocation 
of  the  Congress,  to  the  All-Russian  Central  Executive 
Committee. 

13.  For  the  purpose  of  securing  to  the  toilers  real  free- 
dom of  conscience,  the  church  is  to  be  separated  from  the 
state  and  the  school  from  the  church,  and  the  right  of 
religious  and  anti-religious  propaganda  is  accorded  to 
every  citizen. 

14.  For  the  purpose  of  securing  the  freedom  of  ex- 
pression to  the  toiling  masses,  the  Russian  Socialist  Fed- 
erated Soviet  Republic  abolishes  all  dependence  of  the 
press  upon  capital,  and  turns  over  to  the  working  people 
and  the  poorest  peasantry  all  technical  and  material 
means  of  publication  of  newspapers,  pamphlets,  books, 
etc,,  and  guarantees  their  free  circulation  thruout  the 
country. 

15.  For  the  purpose  of  enabling  the  workers  to  hold 
free  meetings,  the  Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Re- 
public offers  to  the  working  class  and  to  the  poorest  pesa- 
antry  furnished  halls,  and  takes  care  of  their  heating  and 
lighting  appliances. 

16.  The  Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic, 
having  crushed  the  economic  and  political  power  of  the 
propertied  classes  and  having  thus  abolished  all  obstacles 
which  interfered  wit  hthe  freedom  of  organization  and 
action  of  the  workers  and  peasants  offer  assistance,  ma- 
terial and  otherwise,  to  the  workers  and  the  poorest 
peasantry  in  their  efforts  to  unite  and  organize. 

17.  For  the  purpose  of  guaranteeing  to  the  workers 
real  access  to  knowledge,  the  Russian  Socialist  Federated 
Soviet  Republic  sets  itself  the  task  of  furnishing  full  and 
general  free  education  to  the  workers  and  the  poorest 
peasantry. 

18.  The  Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic 
considers  work  the  duty  of  every  citizen  of  the  Republic, 
and  proclaims  as  its  motto:  "He  shall  not  eat  who  does 
not  work." 


—  37  — 

19.  For  the  purpose  of  defending  the  victory  of  the 
great  peasants'  and  workers'  revolution,  the  Russian  So- 
cialist Federated  Soviet  Republic  recognizes  the  duty  of 
all  citizens  of  the  Republic  to  come  to  the  defense  of  their 
Socialist  Fatherland,  and  it,  therefore,  introduces  uni- 
versal military  training.  The  honor  of  defending  the 
revolution  with  arms  is  given  only  to  the  toilers,  and  the 
non-toiling  elements  are  charged  with  the  performance 
of  her  military  duties. 

20.  In  consequence  of  the  solidarity  of  the  toilers  of 
all  nations,  the  Republic  grants  all  political  rights  of  Rus- 
sian citizens  to  foreigners  who  live  in  the  territory  of  the 
Russian  Republic  and  are  engaged  in  toil  and  who  belong 
to  the  toiling  class.  The  Russian  Socialist  Federated 
Soviet  Republic  also  recognizes  the  right  of  local  Soviets 
to  grant  citizenship  to  such  foreigners  without  compli- 
cated formality. 

21.  The  Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic, 
recognizing  equal  rights  of  all  citizens,  irrespective  of 
their  racial  or  nationl  connections,  proclaims  all  privileges 
on  this  ground,  as  well  as  oppression  of  national  minori- 
ties, to  be  in  contradiction  with  the  fundamental  laws  of 
the  Republic. 

23.  Being  guided  by  the  interests  of  the  working  class 
as  a  whole,  the  Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Re- 
public deprives  all  individuals  and  groups  of  rights  which 
could  be  utilized  by  them  to  the  detriment  of  the  Socialist 
Revolution. 

Article  Three 

Construction  of  the  Soviet  Power. 

A.     Organization  of  the  Central  Power. 

24.  The  All-Russian  Congress  of  Soviets  is  composed 
of  representatives  of  urban  Soviets  (one  delegate  for 
25,000  voters),  and  of  representatives  of  the  provincial 
(Gubernia)  congress  of  Soviets  (one  delegate  for  125,000 
inhabitants). 

Note  1.  In  case  the  Provincial  Congress  is  not  called 
before  the  All-Russian  Congress  is  convoked,  delegates 
for  the  latter  are  sent  directly  from  the  county  (Ouezd) 
Congress. 


—  38  — 

Note  2.  In  case  the  Regional  (Oblast)  Congress  is  con- 
voked indirectly,  previous  to  the  convocation  of  The  Ali- 
Russian  Congress,  delegates  for  the  latter  may  be  sent  by 
the  Regional  Congress. 

26.  The  All-Russian  Congress  is  convoked  by  the  AU- 
Russian  Central  Executive  Committee  at  least  twice  a 
year. 

27.  A  special  All-Russian  Congress  is  convoked  by 
the  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee  upon  its 
own  initiative,  or  upon  the  request  of  local  Soviets  having 
not  less  than  one-third  of  the  entire  population  of  the 
Republic. 

28.  The  All-Russian  Congress  elects  an  All-Russian 
Central  Executive  Committee  of  not  more  than  200  mem- 
bers. 

29.  The  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee  is 
entirely  responsible  to  the  All-Russian  Congress  of 
Soviets. 

30.  In  the  periods  between  the  convocation  of  the  Con- 
gresses, the  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee  is 
the  supreme  power  of  the  Republic. 

Chapter  Seven. 
The  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee. 

31.  The  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee  is 
the  supreme  legislative,  executive,  and  controlling  organ 
of  the  Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic. 

32.  The  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee 
directs  in  a  general  way  the  activity  of  the  workers'  and 
peasants'  government  and  of  all  organs  of  the  Soviet 
authority  in  the  country,  and  it  co-ordinates  and  regu- 
lates the  operation  of  the  Soviet  Constitution  and  of  the 
resolution  of  the  All-Russian  Congresses  and  of  the  cen- 
tral organs  of  the  Soviet  power. 

33.  The  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee  con- 
siders and  enacts  all  measures  and  proposals  introduced 
by  the  Soviet  of  People's  Commisars  or  by  the  various  de- 
partments, and  it  also  issues  its  own  decrees  and  regula- 
tions. 

34.  The  A.ll-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee  con- 
vokes the  AU-Russian  Congress  of  Soviets,  at  which  time 


39  — 

the  Executive  Committee  reports  on  its  activity  and  on 
general  questions. 

35.  The  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee 
forms  a  Council  of  People's  Commissars  for  the  purpose 
or  general  management  of  the  affairs  of  the  Russian  So- 
cialist Federated  Soviet  Republic,  and  it  also  forms  de- 
partments (People's  Commissariats)  for  the  purpose  of 
conducting  various  branches. 

36.  The  members  of  the  All-Russian  Central  Executive 
Committee  work  in  the  various  departments  (People's 
Commissariats)  or  executive  special  orders  of  all  the  All- 
Russian  Central  Executive  Committee. 

Chapter  Eight. 
The  Council  of  People's  Commissars. 

37.  The  Council  of  People's  Commissars  is  entrusted 
with  the  general  management  of  the  affairs  of  the  Rus- 
sian Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic. 

38.  For  the  accomplishment  of  this  task  the  Council 
of  People's  Commissars  issues  decrees,  resolutions,  orders, 
and,  in  general,  takes  all  steps  necessary  for  the  proper 
and  rapid  conduct  of  government  affairs. 

39.  The  Council  of  People's  Commissars  notifies  im- 
mediately the  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee 
of  all  its  orders  and  resolutions. 

40.  The  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee  has 
the  right  to  revoke  or  suspend  all  orders  and  resolutions 
of  the  Council  of  People's  Commissars. 

41.  All  orders  and  resolutions  of  the  Council  of  Peo- 
ple's Commisars  of  great  significance  are  turned  over  for 
consideration  and  final  approval  to  the  All-Russian  Cen- 
tral Executive   Committee. 

Note:  Measures  requiring  immediate  execution  may 
be  enacted  directly  by  the  Council  of  People's  Commis- 
sars. 

42.  The  members  of  the  Council  of  People's  Commis- 
sars stand  at  the  head  of  the  various  People's  Commis- 
sariats. 

42.     There  are  seventeen  People's  Commissars: 
a.     Foreign   Affairs;   b.    Army;   c.   Navy;   d.   Interior; 
e.    Justice;  f.  Labor;  g.  Social  Welfare;  h.  Education;  i. 


—  40  — 

Post  and  Telegraph;  j.  National  Affairs;  k.  Finances;  1. 
Ways  of  Communication;  m.  Agriculture;  n.  Commerce 
and  Industry;  o.  National  Supplies;  p.  State  Control;  q. 
Supreme  Soviet  of  National  Economy;  r.  Public  Health. 

44.  Every  Commissar  has  a  College  (Committee*  of 
which  he  is  the  President,  and  the  members  of  which  are 
appointed  by  the  Council  of  People's  Commissars. 

45.  A  People's  Commissar  has  the  individal  right  to 
decide  air  questions  under  the  jurisdiction  of  his  Commis- 
sariat, and  he  is  to  report  on  his  decision  to  the  College. 
If  the  College  does  not  agree  with  the  Commissar  on  some 
decision,  the  former  may,  without  stopping  the  execution 
of  the  decision,  complain  of  it  to  the  executive  members 
of  the  Council  of  People's  Commissars  to  the  All-Russian 
Central  Committee. 

Individual  members  of  the  College  have  this  right  also. 

46.  The  Council  of  People's  Commissars  is  entirely  re- 
sponsible to  the  All-Russian  Congress  of  Soviet  and  the 
All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee. 

47.  The  People's  Commissars  and  the  Colleges  of  the 
People's  Commissariats  are  entirely  responsible  to  the 
Council  of  People's  Commissars  and  the  All-Russian 
Central  Executive  Committee. 

48.  The  title  of  People's  Commissars  belongs  only  to 
members  of  the  Council  of  People's  Commissars,  which  is 
in  charge  of  general  affairs  of  the  Russian  Socialist  Fed- 
erated Soviet  Republic,  and  it  cannot  be  used  by  any 
other  representative  of  the  Soviet  power,  either  central 
or  local. 

AflFairs  in  the  Jurisdiction  of  the   All-Russian  Congress 
and  the  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee. 

49.  The  All-Russian  Congress  and  the  All-Russian 
Central  Executive  Committee  deal  with  questions  of  state, 
such  as: 

a.  Ratification  and  amendment  of  the  Constitution  of 
the  Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic. 

b.  General  direction  of  the  entire  interior  and  for- 
eign policy  of  the  Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Re- 
public. 


—  41  — 

c.  Establishing  and  changing  boundaries,  also  ceding 
territory  belonging  to  the  Russian  Socialist  Federated 
Soviet  Republic. 

d.  Establishing  boundaries  for  regional  Soviet  unions 
belonging  to  the  Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Re- 
public, also  settling  disputes  among  them. 

e.  Admission  of  new  members  to  the  Russian  Social- 
ist Federated  Soviet  Republic,  and  recognition  of  the 
secession  of  any  part  of  it. 

f.  The  general  administrative  division  of  the  territory 
of  the  Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic  and  the 
approval  of  regional  unions. 

g.  Establishing  and  changing  of  weights,  measures 
and  money  denominations  in  the  Russian  Socialist  Fed- 
erated Soviet  Republic. 

h.  Foreign  relations,  declaration  of  war,  and  ratifica- 
tion of  peace  treaties. 

i.  Making  loans,  signing  commercial  treaties,  and 
financial  agreements. 

j.  Working  out  a  basis  and  a  general  plan  for  the  na- 
tional economy  and  for  various  branches  in  the  Russian 
Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic. 

k.  Approval  of  the  budget  of  the  Russian  Socialist 
Federated  Soviet  Republic. 

1.  Levying  taxes  and  establishing  the  duties  of  citizens 
to  the  state. 

m.  Establishing  the  bases  for  the  organization  of 
armed  forces. 

n.  State  legislation,  judicial  organization  and  proced- 
ure, civil  and  criminal  legislation,  etc. 

o.  Appointment  and%  dismissal  of  the  individual  Peo- 
ple's Commissars  or  the  entire  Council;  also  approval  of 
the  President  of  the  Council  of  People's  Commissars. 

p.  Granting  and  cancelling  Russian  citizenship  and 
fixing  rights  of  foreigners. 

q.     The  right  to  declare  individual  and  general  amnesty. 

50.  Besides  the  above  mentioned  questions,  the  All- 
Russian  Congress  of  the  All-Russian  Central  Executive 
Committee  have  charge  of  all  other  affairs  which  accord- 
ign  to  their  decision,  require  their  attention. 


„  42  — 

51.  The  following  questions  are  solely  under  the  juris- 
diction of  the  All-Russian  Congress: 

a.  Ratification  and  amendment  of  the  fundamental 
principles  of  the  Soviet  Constitution. 

b.  Ratification  of  peace  treaties. 

52.  The  decision  of  question  indicated  in  Items  c  and 
h  of  Paragraph  49  may  be  made  by  the  All-Russian  Cen- 
tral Executive  Committee  only  in  case  it  is  impossible  to 
convoke  the  Congress. 

Chapter  Ten. 

B.     Organization  of  the   Local  Soviets. 

The  Cpngress  of  the  Soviets. 

53.  Congress  of  Soviets  are  composed  as  follows: 

a.  Reginal:  Of  representatives  of  the  urban  and 
county  Soviets,  one  representative  for  25,000  inhabitants 
of  the  county,  and  one  representative  for  5,000  voters  of 
the  cities — but  not  more  than  500  representatives  for  the 
entire  region — or  of  representatives  of  the  provisional 
Congress,  chosen  on  the  same  basis  if  such  a  Congress 
meets  before  the  regional  Congress. 

b.  Provincial  (Gubemia) :  Of  representatives  of  urban 
and  rural  (Volost)  Soviets,  one  representative  for  10,000 
inhabitants  from  the  rural  districts,  and  one  representa- 
tive for  2,000  voters  in  the  city;  altogether  not  more  than 
300  representatives  for  the  entire  province.  In  case  the 
county  Congress  meets  before  the  provincial,  election 
takes  place  on  the  same  basis,  but  by  the  county  Con- 
gress instead  of  the  rural. 

c.  County:  Of  representatives  of  rural  Soviets,  one 
delegate  for  each  1,000  inhabitants,  but  not  more  than  300 
delegates  for  the  entire  county. 

r.  Rural  (Volost):  Of  representatives  of  all  village 
Soviets  in  the  Volost  one  delegate  for  ten  members  of  the 
Soviet. 

Note  1.  Representatives  of  urban  Soviets  which  have 
a  population  of  not  more  than  10,000  persons  participate 
in  the  county  Congress;  village  Soviets  of  districts  of 
less  than  1,000  inhabitants  unite  for  the  purpose  of  elect- 
ing delegates  to  the  county  Congress. 


—  43  — 

Note  2.  Rural  Soviets  of  less  than  ten  me^ibers  send 
one  delegate  to  the  rural  (Volost)  Congress. 

54.  Congresses  of  the  Soviets  are  convoked  by  the  re- 
spective Executive  Committees  upon  their  own  initiative, 
or  upon  request  of  local  Soviets  comprising  not  less  than 
one-third  of  the  entire  population  of  the  given  district. 
In  any  case  they  are  convoked  at  least  twice  a  year  for 
regions,  every  three  months  for  provinces  and  counties, 
and  once  a  month  for  rural  districts. 

55.  Every   Congress   of   Soviets    (regional,   provincial, 
I  county  and  rural)  elects  its  Executive  organ — an  Execu- 
tive Committee  the  membership  of  which  shall  not  exceed: 

(a)  For  regions  and  provinces,  25;  (b)  for  a  county, 
20;  (c)  for  a  rural  district,  10.  The  Executive  Committee 
is  responsible  to  the  congress  which  elected  it. 

56.  In  the  boundaries  of  the  respective  territories  the 
Congress  is  the  supreme  power;  during  intervals  between 
the  convocations  of  the  Congress,  the  executive  Committee 
is  the  supreme  power. 

Chapter  Eleven. 
The  Soviets  of  Deputies. 

57.  Soviets  of  Deputies  are  formed: 

a.  In  cities,  one  deputy  for  each  1,000  inhabitants; 
the  total  to  be  not  less  than  50  and  not  more  than  1,000 
members. 

b.  All  other  settlements  (towrjs,  villages,  hamlets, 
etc.)  of  less  than  10,000  inhabitants,  one  deputy  for  each 
100  inhabitants;  the  total  to  be  not  less  than  3  and  not 
more  than  50  deputies  for  each  settlement. 

Term  of  the  deputy,  three  months. 

Note:  In  small  rural  sections,  whenever  possible,  all 
questions  shall  be  decided  at  general  meetings  of  voters. 

58.  The  Soviets  of  Deputies  elects  an  Executive  Com- 
mittee to  deal  with  current  affairs;  not  more  than  5  mem- 
bers for  rural  districts,  one  for  every  50  members  for 
rural  districts,  one  for  every  50  members  of  the  Soviets  of 
cities,  but  not  more  than  15  and  not  less  tlian  1  in  the 
aggregate  (Petrograd  and  Moscow  not  more  than  40). 
The  Executive  Committee  is  entirely  responsible  to  the 
Soviet  which  elected  it. 


—  44  — 

59.  The  Soviet  of  Deputies  is  convoked  by  the  Execu- 
tive Committee  upon  its  own  initiative,  or  upon  the  re- 
quest of  not  less  than  one-half  of  the  members  of  the 
Soviet;  in  any  case  at  least  once  a  week  in  cities,  and 
twice  a  week  in  rural  sections. 

60.  Within  its  jurisdiction  the  Soviet,  and  in  eases 
mentioned  in  Paragraph  57.  Note,  the  meeting  of  the 
voters,  is  the  supreme  power  in  the  given  district. 

Chapter  Twelve. 
Jurisdiction  of  the  Local  Organs  of  the  Soviets. 

61.  Regional,  provincial,  county,  and  rural  organs  of 
the  Soviet  power  and  also  the  Soviets  of  Deputies  have 
to  perform  the  following  duties: 

a.  Garry  out  all  orders  of  the  respective  higher  organs 
of  the  Soviet  power. 

b.  Take  all  steps  towards  raising  the  cultural  and 
economic  standards   of  the   given  territory. 

c.  Decide  all  questions  of  local  importance  within  their 
respective  territory. 

d.  Co-ordinate  all  Soviet  activity  in  their  respective 
territory. 

62.  The  Congresses  of  Soviets  and  their  Executive 
Committees  have  the  right  to  control  the  activity  of  the 
local  Soviets  (i.  e.,  the  regional  Congress  controls  all 
Soviets  of  the  respective  regions;  the  provincial  of  the 
respective  province,  with  the  exception  of  the  urban 
Soviets,  etc.),  and  the  regional  and  provincial  Congresses 
and  their  Executive  Committees  in  addition  have  the  right 
to  overrule  the  decisions  of  the  Soviets  of  their  districts, 
giving  notice  in  important  cases  to  the  central  Soviet 
authority. 

63.  For  the  purpose  of  performing  their  duties,  the 
local  Soviets,  rural  and  urban,  and  the  Executive  Com- 
mittees form  sections  respectively. 

Article  Four 
The  Right  to  Vote. 

Chapter    Thirteen. 
04.  The  right  to  vote  and  to  be  elected  to  the  Soviets 
is  enjoyed  by  the  citizens,  irrespective  of  religion,  nation- 


—  45  -- 

ality,  domicile,  etc.,  of  both  sexes,  who  shall  have  com- 
pleted their  eighteenth  year  by  the  day  of  election; 

a.  All  who  have  acquired  the  means  of  living  thru 
labor  that  is  productive  and  useful  to  society,  and  also 
persons  engaged  in  housekeeping,  which  enables  the  for- 
mer to  do  productive  work,  i.  e.,  laborers  and  employees  of 
all  classes  who  are  employed  in  industry,  trade,  agricul- 
ture, etc.,  and  peasants  and  Cossack  agricultural  laborers 
who  employ  no  help  for  the  purpose  of  making  profits. 

b.  Soldiers  of  the  army  and  navy  of  the  Soviets. 

c.  Citizens  of  the  two  preceding  categories  who  have  to 
any  degree  lost  their  capacity  to  work. 

Note  1.  Local  Soviets  may,  upon  approval  of  the  cen- 
tral power,  lower  the  age  standard  mentioned  herein. 

Note  2.  Non-citizens  mentioned  in  Paragraph  20  (Ar- 
ticle Two,  Chapter  5)  have  the  right  to  vote. 

65.  The  following  persons  enjoy  neither  the  right  to 
vote  no  rthe  right  to  be  voted  for,  even  tho  they  belong 
to  one  of  the  categories  enumerated  above,  namely: 

a.  Persons  who  employ  hired  labor  in  order  to  obtain 
from  it  an  increase  in  profits. 

b.  Persons  who  have  an  income  without  doing  any 
work,  such  as  interest  from  capital,  receipts  from  prop- 
erty, etc. 

c.  Private  merchants,  trade  and  commercial  brokers. 

d.  Monks  and  clergy  of  all  denominations. 

e.  Employees  and  agents  of  the  former  police,  the 
gendarme  corps,  and  the  Okhrana  (Czar's  secret  service), 
also  members  of  former  reigning  dynasty. 

f.  Persons  who  have  in  legal  form  been  declared  de- 
mented or  mentally  deficient,  and  also  persons  under 
guardianship. 

g.  Persons  who  have  been  deprived  by  a  Soviet  of 
their  rights  of  citizenship  because  of  selfish  or  dishonor- 
able offenses,  for  the  period  fixed  by  the  sentence. 

Chapter  Fourteen. 
Elections. 

66.  Elections  are  conducted  according  to  custom  on 
days  fixed  by  the  local  Soviets. 

67.  Election  takes  place  in  the  presence  of  an  electinjp 
committee  and  the  representative  of  the  local  Soviet. 


•_  46  — 

68.  In  case  the  representative  of  the  Soviet  cannot  be 
present  for  valid  causes,  the  chairman  of  the  electing 
committee  takes  his  place,  and  in  case  the  latter  is  absent, 
the  chairman  of  the  election  meeting  replaces  him. 

69.  Minutes  of  the  proceedings  and  results  of  elec- 
tions are  to  be  compiled  and  signed  by  the  members  of 
the  electing  committee  and  the  representatives  of  the 
Soviet. 

70.  Detailed  instruction  regarding  the  election  pro- 
ceedings and  the  participation  in  them  of  professional 
and  other  workers'  organizations  are  to  be  issued  of  the 
All-Russian  Central  Executive   Committee. 

Chapter  Fifteen. 

The  Checking  and   Cancellation   of   Elections   and   Recall 

of   the  Deputies. 

71.  The  respective  Soviets  receive  all  the  records  of 
the  proceedings  of  the  election. 

72.  The  Soviet  appoints  a  commission  to  verify  the 
elections. 

73.  This  commission  reports  on  the  results  to  the 
Soviets. 

74.  The  Soviet  decides  the  question  when  there  is 
doubt  as  to  which  candidate  is  elected. 

75.  The  Soviet  announces  a  new  election  if  the  elec- 
tion of  one  candidate  or  another  cannot  be  determined. 

76.  If  an  election  was  irregularly  carried  on  in  its 
entirety,  it  may  be  declared  void  by  a  higher  Soviet  au- 
thority. 

77.  The  highest  authority  in  relation  to  questions  of 
elections  is  the  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee. 

78.  Voters  who  have  sent  a  deputy  to  the  Soviet 
have  the  right  to  recall  him,  and  to  have  a  new  election 
according  to  general  provision. 

Article  Five 

The  Budget. 

79.  The  financial  policy  of  the  Russian  Socialist  Fed- 
erated Soviet  Republic  in  the  present  transition  period  of 
dictatorship  of  the  proletaliat,  facilitates  the  fundamental 
purpose  of  expropriation  of  the  bourgeoisie  and  the  pre- 
paration of  conditions  necessary  for  the   equality  of   all 


„  47   -  - 

citizens  of  Russia  in  the  production  and  distribution  of 
wealth.  To  this  end  it  sets  forth  as  its  task  the  supply- 
ing of  the  organs  of  the  Soviet  power  with  all  necessary 
funds  for  local  state  needs  of  the  Soviet  Republic,  with- 
out regard  to  private  property  rights. 

80.  The  state  expenditures  and  income  of  the  Russian 
Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic  are  combined  in  the 
state  budget. 

81.  The  All-Russian  Congress  of  Soviets  or  the  All- 
Russian  Central  Executive  Committee  determine  what 
matter  of  income  and  taxation  shall  go  to  the  state  bud- 
get and  what  shall  go  to  the  local  Soviets;  they  also  set 
the  limits  of  taxes. 

82.  The  Soviets  levy  taxes  only  for  the  local  needs. 
The  state  needs  are  covered  by  the  funds  of  the  state 
treasury. 

83.  No  expenditure  out  of  the  state  treasury  not  set 
forth  in  the  budget  of  income  and  expense  shall  be  made 
without  a  special  order  of  the  central  power. 

84.  The  local  Soviets  shall  receive  credits  from  the 
proper  People's  Commissars  out  of  the  state  treasury, 
for  the  purpose  of  making  expenditures  for  general  state 
needs. 

85.  All  credits  allotted  to  the  Soviets  from  the  state 
treasury,  and  also  credits  approved  for  local  needs,  must 
be  expended  according  to  the  estimates,  and  cannot  be 
used  for  any  other  purposes  without  a  special  order  of 
the  AU-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee  and  the 
Soviet  of  People's  Commissars. 

86.  Local  Soviets  draw  up  semi-annual  and  annual 
estimates  of  income  and  expenditure  for  local  needs.  The 
estimates  of  urban  and  rural  Soviets  participating  in 
county  congresses,  and  also  the  estimates  of  the  county 
organs  of  the  Soviet  power  are  to  be  approved  by  provinc- 
ial and  regional  congresses  or  by  their  executive  com- 
mittees; the  estimates  of  the  urban,  provincial,  and  re- 
gional organs  of  the  Soviets  are  to  be  approved  by  the  All- 
Russian  Central  Executive  Committee  and  the  Council 
of  People's  Commissars. 

87.  The  Soviets  may  ask  for  additional  credits  from 
the  respective  People's  Commissariats  for  expenditures 
not  set  forth  in  the  estimate,  or  where  the  allotted  sum 
is  insufficient. 


—  48  — 

88.  In  case  of  an  insufficiency  of  local  funds  for  local 
needs,  the  necessary  subsidy  may  be  obtained  from  the 
state  treasury  by  applying  to  the  All-Russian  Central 
Executive  Committee  or  the  Council  of  People's  Commis- 
sars. 

ARTICLE  SIX. 

•    .The  Coat  of  Arms  and  Flag  of  the  Russian  Socialist 
Federated  Soviet  Republic. 

Chapter   Seventeen. 

89.  The  coat  of  arms  of  the  Russian  Socialist  Fed- 
erated Soviet  Republic  consists  of  a  red  background  on 
which  a  golden  scythe  and  a  hammer  are  laced  (cross- 
wise, handles  downward)  in  sunrays  and  surrounded  by  a. 
wreath,  inscribed: 

Russian  Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic. 

Workers  of  the  World  Unite! 

90.  The  commercial,  naval,  and  army  flag  of  the  Rus- 
sian Socialist  Federated  Soviet  Republic  consists  of  a  red 
cloth,  in  the  left  hand  corner  of  which  (on  top,  near  the 
pole)  there  are  in  golden  characters  the  letters  R.  S.  F. 
S.  R.,  or  the  inscription:  Russian  Socialist  Federated 
Soviet  Republic. 

Chairman  of  the  All-Russian  Congress  of  Soviets  and 
the  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Committee:  J.  Sever- 
dloff. 

Executive  Officers — All-Russian  Centi^al  Executive  Com- 
mittee: T:  I:  Teodorowith,  F.  A.  Rosin,  A.  P.  Rosenholz, 
A.  C.  Mitrofanoff,  K.  C.  Maxinoff. 

Secretary  of  the  All-Russian  Central  Executive  Com- 
mittee— ^V.  A.  Avanessoff. 


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